A host of playoff performers highlight today’s Around the Crease weekly notebook, including a pair of players from Upper Dublin (Pa.), a 2018 Loyola commit from Shenendehowa (N.Y.), a Hofstra commit from Massapequa (N.Y.) and a Loveland (Ohio) senior who made 30 saves in a region championship game.
While LaxRecords.com was started as a place to house the history of boys’ high school lacrosse, there are a lot of performances that do not make the lists. But those performances deserved to be highlighted.
Each Monday, I’ll highlight players, teams, coaches and games that caught my attention.
Want to alert me to a story I missed? Reach out to me via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or just good ‘ol email at mloveday@laxrecords.com.
Club of One
Michael Sowers
Upper Dublin (Fort Washington, Pennsylvania) senior, Michael Sowers, became the first known player in boys’ lacrosse history to reach 400 career assists.
He did it with a four assist, two goal game against Avon Grove (West Grove, Pennsylvania) in the District 1 championship game on May 26. His performance gave him 118 assists on the year and put him at 585 career points.
For some perspective, Sowers has now passed both Powell brothers, Max Quinzani, Lyle Thompson, Nick Galasso and more this season on the all-time points list.
He can become Pennsylvania’s all-time point leader if he notches four more points this season. The Cardinals face Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania) in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Wednesday.
Should they win that game, they would play in the second round on Saturday.
Sowers passed Ben Reeves (307) for the all-time assist mark earlier this season, becoming only the third known player to reach at least 300 career assists.
Race To Number One
Matt Fedorjaka
There’s a two-man race to become Pennsylvania’s all-time leading scorer. Currently in the lead is Matt Fedorjaka from Lewisburg (Pennsylvania) with 303 career goals.
The Fairfield commit added 11 goals and seven assists to his career total in two playoff wins for the Green Dragons. He has 477 career points, which makes him just the third player in state history to surpass 400 career points. Stratton and Sowers are the other two.
Lewisburg plays Avon Grove in the first round of the PIAA playoffs on Wednesday.
Just behind him is Upper Dublin senior Michael Mullen who notched his 293rd career goal in the Cardinals District 1 championship victory on May 26. Mullen is having his best season yet, scoring 100 goals. His previous career high was 85 goals last year.
The Vassar commit passed Casey Powell on the all-time goals list with his performance. The all-time leader in goals is Zed Williams who scored 444 career goals for Silver Creek (New York).
Playoff Performers
Big Game Performers Meet
Massapequa (Massapequa, New York) senior, Ryan Tierney, has been on a tear this season, and helped the Chiefs to the Nassau County Class A title game. Tierney has eight goals in the Nassau County playoffs, including four in the semifinal against Farmingdale (New York) on May 26. The Hofstra commit has 47 goals and 26 assists this season.
Mac O’Keefe from Syosset (Syosset, New York) will be on the opposite sideline from Tierney this week in the title game. O’Keefe had an impressive Nassau County quarterfinal against Plainview JFK (Plainview, New York) on May 17. The Penn State commit scored seven goals and had three assists in the 17-5 win. He followed that up with a three goal, two assist game in an 18-8 win over Port Washington (New York) on May 27. O’Keefe has 50 goals and 29 assists this season.
Taking Down The Champion
Matt Stucchi
Shenendehowa (New York) sophomore, Matt Stucchi, scored seven goals against defending Class A state champ Niskayuna (New York) on May 27. The Loyola commit’s performance came in the Section II Class A championship. Stucchi scored three goals in the fourth quarter to break an 11-11 tie and help Shenendehowa to a 15-14 victory.
Stucchi’s teammate, junior goalie Anthony Tebbano, made 27 saves in the Plainsmen’s win over Niskayuna.
The victory ended the Silver Warriors 81 game winning streak against Section II opponents.
First!
Loveland (Ohio) senior, Marshal Amon, made 30 saves to help defeat 3d Rising’s No. 1 Ohio team, St. Xavier (Ohio), 6-5 in the regional championship game. Amon’s performance came in a double-overtime win that propelled them into their first-ever Division I state tournament berth.
Second!
Jordan Swoyer
Linganore (Frederick, Maryland) sophomore, Jordan Swoyer, came up big in the Class 3A/2A semifinal against Northern Calvert (Owings, Maryland) on May 21. The uncommitted attackman totaled eight points on the strength of five goals and three assists in the 11-10 win. Swoyer’s five goals came on five shots. The sophomore followed his performance up with a two assist game in the state championship, a 9-7 win over Mount Hebron (Ellicott City, Maryland).
Swoyer’s teammate, Daniel Ross, took his turn on May 24. Ross scored five goals and had one assist to lead Linganore to a 9-7 win over Mount Hebron (Ellicott City, Maryland) in the Class 3A/2A championship on May 24.
The win is the Lancers’ second state championship overall and their first since 2011. Daniel Murphy scored two goals and Swoyer had two assists in the win.
Ross finished his senior year with 58 goals and 31 assists. Murphy finished with 52 goals and 11 assists this season.